Garmin edge 501 ... To buy ... Or not to buy ... Advice please

[HB2210]

Hi there,

I have been using endomundo for to track my rides and to monitor my progress, to see if I'm ever getting any faster!! Is there any benefit in buying the garmin edge 501 (that's the one I fancy)? Or do you reckon it's much of a muchness??

Any advice would be appreciated

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

They're a completely different beast!

But it's a 500 or 510 you're after

 

[HB2210]

They're a completely different beast!

But it's a 500 or 510 you're after

What makes them different? Please excuse my ignorance

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

One is an app on a phone the other is a purpose built unit.

 

[HB2210]

One is an app on a phone the other is a purpose built unit.

Do they not generally provide similar information, give or take?

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

I think you should research what a garmin is capable of

 

[HB2210]

I think you should research what a garmin is capable of

I'm reckoning you think it's worth it then??

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

I own one so of course I think so. You don't appear to want to help yourself though and do some research.

 

[400bhp]

If you can afford to do so then buy a Garmin.

Off the top of my head, a non exhaustive list of advantages of a Garmin over a phone are:

- battery life (12 odd hours out of my Garmin 705 in route mode)
- better GPS trails
- very very robust
- waterproof (to a point)
- link to (if applicable) HRM/cadence/power meter
- lots of data to access

 

[HB2210]

I own one so of course I think so. You don't appear to want to help yourself though and do some research.

I have researched it, I actually ordered the tour version today, then cancelled it as I don't need a sat nav route finder. That's why I was specifying the model as I would prefer something that I could download my stats and track my progress.

 

[HB2210]

If you can afford to do so then buy a Garmin.

Off the top of my head, a non exhaustive list of advantages of a Garmin over a phone are:

- battery life (12 odd hours out of my Garmin 705 in route mode)
- better GPS trails
- very very robust
- waterproof (to a point)
- link to (if applicable) HRM/cadence/power meter
- lots of data to access

Thanks appreciate the advice

 

[400bhp]

I have researched it, I actually ordered the tour version today, then cancelled it as I don't need a sat nav route finder. That's why I was specifying the model as I would prefer something that I could download my stats and track my progress.

It's not a route finder, it's simply a slave to the route you decide to plot on a website and download to the device.

Don't discount this. Even if you think you know the roads where you live, chances are you won't. It's great for picking routes/roads you didn't know were there.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

It's not a route finder, it's simply a slave to the route you decide to plot on a website and download to the device.

Don't discount this. Even if you think you know the roads where you live, chances are you won't. It's great for picking routes/roads you didn't know were there.

This.

I got the Garmin Touring and I love the random route feature. Basically you tell it how far you want to go and it gives you three options. I found a cycle path barely 300 yds from my front door that I didn't know about.

 

[HB2210]

It's not a route finder, it's simply a slave to the route you decide to plot on a website and download to the device.

Don't discount this. Even if you think you know the roads where you live, chances are you won't. It's great for picking routes/roads you didn't know were there.

I dunno if it does the same things as the 501, I'm more interested in monitoring my progress and not sure if this one does that. I looked on the garmin site and it seemed more a route planner than anything else unless I've mis interpreted it.

 

[HB2210]

This.

I got the Garmin Touring and I love the random route feature. Basically you tell it how far you want to go and it gives you three options. I found a cycle path barely 300 yds from my front door that I didn't know about.

Does it count calories, distance, speed etc ?